


En Plein Air

by mander3_swish



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post Season 5, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mander3_swish/pseuds/mander3_swish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'En plein air' is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors, which is also called <i>peinture sur le motif</i> ("painting on the ground"). <br/>Written for True Queer Love's springtime challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	En Plein Air

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by later2nite

Lindsay was jealous. It was not in a mean-spirited sort of way, yet she couldn’t help but want what Justin had created for himself: an artist’s dream landscape at Britin.

Back in the spring and summer after graduating from college, she had ventured off to Europe to take in the culture and to visit as many galleries as her wallet and her eyes could handle. Seeing the work of the Impressionists –mainly, van Gogh’s delicious brushstrokes in Amsterdam and Degas’ dancers and Monet’s beautiful landscapes in Paris– filled her with desire and inspiration, leaving her with the wish to just paint full-time. She even made a special trip down to Giverny twice to visit Monet’s property and his famous waterlily pond.

Justin had made a similar trip, himself, during the time he was working and studying in New York. Lindsay had helped him with some of the planning, excited that he would get to see and experience all of it for himself. That trip had had a great effect on Justin and his art. When the time had come for him to move back to Pittsburgh, years later, the first thing that he’d started on was turning the grounds surrounding Britin into an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color and textures.

Lindsay had been more than happy to help him on her many visits down with Mel and the kids. They’d gone shopping for deals on flowers and shrubs, always searching for something new and exciting to add.

Her favorite time of year to visit was the spring. The early explosions of color, due to the thousands of tulips they’d all helped to plant one visit during Canadian Thanksgiving, were breathtaking. She’d take her easel and set up her painting station first thing in the morning, and wouldn’t budge until at least lunchtime. 

"Come on, Mom. Time to take a break," Gus's voice interrupted her one beautiful spring day as she sat gazing at the garden, trying to decide if those daffodils were more buttercream than lemony-yellow. She’d been so engrossed in her painting she hadn't noticed that he and Jenny had set up a little picnic lunch in the garden. 

Plopping her brush into the water glass, she walked over to the kids to survey the spread. Everything looked delicious. There were finger-size egg salad sandwiches (Jenny's favorite), freshly baked chocolate chip cookies (Gus's favorite), and garlic baby dill pickles (her favorite), in addition to some iced tea. "This looks delicious, guys! Did you do all this yourselves?"

"Ma and Justin helped a bit, but we did all the hard stuff!" Jenny replied excitedly. For a nine-year-old, she was pretty adept in the kitchen. 

"Are they going to come out and join us? It looks like there's plenty for everyone," Lindsay said, but then she saw Mel carrying out what appeared to be a salad bowl.

"Here's the last of it," Mel said, setting the asparagus and pesto pasta salad down next to the plates. 

"Isn’t Justin going to join us?" Lindsay asked.

"Doubtful. Brian just got home and said that his afternoon meeting was moved to Monday," Mel reported. "I think it might be best if we take an extra-long time to eat lunch out here. Maybe all of us should even start our own paintings later, too... Give them some space, if you know what I mean." 

"God! Not again!" Gus whined.

"What? What are they doing?" Jenny asked, all confused.

"We'll tell you when you're older, Sweetie," Mel said, mostly trying to ignore the whole thing, even though she’d brought it up.

With a smile, Lindsay's thoughts were happy ones. She was happy that the boys still had what makes them Brian and Justin... and that they at least - usually - waited until the kids were out of the house before they ‘went at it'. There was one incident a couple of years earlier, though, that she hoped Jenny would never ever remember. Unfortunately, for herself, it was forever burned into her memory. 

"Gus, I'd think you'd almost be used to them by now, what with spending most of your summer vacation here last year," Lindsay commented, taking a sip of iced tea.

Gus rolled his eyes, sighed, and shuddered at the thought. There are some things that kids just shouldn't have to know about, when it comes to their parents and what they do in their free time.

~~~

The Marcus-Petersons were scattered about the garden, focused on their art-marking, by the time Justin emerged from the house around mid-afternoon looking pretty well-fucked. He watered the herb pots on the patio before heading over to see what creations his garden had inspired.

"Justin! Come see mine first!" Jenny called out, running up to him and grabbing his hand to pull him towards her station.

Justin just laughed at her eagerness, a huge smile on his face. She so reminded him of Michael when Rage was born (and every brilliant idea he’d had for a new issue since then) by the way she got excited like that. 

He loved her creation, of course, and heaped lots of praises on her. There was just something so instantly charming about art made by little kids. He did make sure to give her a few suggestions to try out for next time to help her keep pushing to get better, knowing that Lindsay would appreciate that. He knew that sometimes when she tried to give her daughter helpful tips, Jenny became defensive. 

Gus had an amazing eye for composition and detail, something, no doubt, inherited from both his parents (and perhaps learned from Mel as well). Discovering a knack for watercolors the previous summer, he’d enjoyed creating little abstract pieces ever since, inspired by things he’d seen around him everyday. 

The kids looked like they were pretty hot, so Lindsay shooed them off to the poolhouse to get ready for a swim. "But wait 'til one of us gets there before you jump in," she made them promise.

After cleaning up the kids' stations, Justin made his way over to where Mel had been quietly working away. He was definitely impressed by her sketches, which were comprised of the kids and Lindsay scattered about the garden, and he told her as much.

Lindsay smiled to herself when Mel said, "Well, you fuck an artist long enough, you tend to pick up a few things." 

"That's what I've always said," Brian added, of course making his appearance at precisely the right moment.


End file.
